Greig Laidlaw: Pro clubs can benefit from funding move, Vern Cotter advice

Laidlaw is preparing for November's Tests against Australia, Argentina and Georgia

Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw is pleased that the prospect of external investment for Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh appears to be progressing.

Scottish Rugby's member clubs voted unanimously on the matter on Friday.

"You've got to move with the times," said scrum-half Laidlaw, who spent seven years with Edinburgh.

"It's always evolving and if you can get the external investment coming in then it breathes new life into the teams."

The successful motion to seek fresh sources of funding was described as "a pivotal moment for the game" by Scottish Rugby chief executive Mark Dodson.

"It lets the SRU spread money about a lot more and hopefully touch the grassroots a little bit more and improve the game from that side," added 31-year-old Laidlaw, who moved to Gloucester in 2014.

"It's a big decision and hopefully going forward we can find the right people to come in - that's very important as well, so we can work together if we go down that route."

Laidlaw is currently training with Scotland ahead of the autumn internationals against Australia, Argentina and Georgia.

And the captain says the dynamic in the camp is no different in the knowledge that head coach Vern Cotter will be replaced by Glasgow's Gregor Townsend next summer.

"No, no at all," said Laidlaw. "Credit to the man Vern is - he's extremely focused on all things rugby. He's not mentioned anything else. All Vern wants to do is win games.

"As a group we're solely focused on making sure we give Vern a really good last eight Tests."

Laidlaw has signed a three-year contract with Clermont Auvergne and admits his end-of-season move was influenced by Cotter, who coached the French Top 14 club for eight years before taking the Scotland job in the summer of 2014.

"I don't think it's any secret that I'm a big admirer of him in terms of how he's helped improve my game and the team," said Laidlaw.

"So I got his opinion on a few things. He's obviously spent a lot of time in that part of the world so he was helpful for me in that sense."